He said the school district has an “incredible” staff devoted to students and the community, but that he thinks communication between the district and the community could be improved and that the district could make better use of the talents of community members willing to volunteer with the schools.

Bastin would like to form a committee with representatives of the board of education, Tate Township trustees and Bethel Village Council to help bring more small businesses to the community so it will not be so dependent on state funding.

“In short, I want to help the district grow and become more stable,” he said.

• Kipp Kahlenbeck, a union carpenter and an area superintendent at Solid Platforms Inc.

He’s a former assistant wrestling coach at Bethel-Tate High School.

Kahlenbeck was unable to be reached for comment.

• Charles Napier, a supervisor and analyst at Ford Motor Co.

“I feel that we are the best school district in the state, and I want to keep it that way,” he said.

“I think that we need to be fiscally responsible with our money.”

Napier said he feels people also are responsible for looking after the community in other ways.

“I think that if you feel you want to make a difference, you should step up,” he said.

“I just want to be a part of our children’s education and believe that I should give back to the community what it gave me.”

• Judy Reinhardt, who recently retired after working 30 years as a school bus driver for the schools.

She has at least four good reasons to run for school board, with one granddaughter at Bethel-Tate High School and three other grandchildren at Bick Primary School.

But Reinhardt said she also is concerned for the community as a whole, having grown up there.

“It’s just for the love of my town,” she said of her campaign.

“I feel like I have the love and the compassion for our community to serve.”

None of the school board candidates have ever before held elected political office.

Next year, the winners of the Nov. 5 race will join current board of education members Buffy Clements, now president, and Barb Leonard on the school board, which oversees four schools.

The terms of Clements and Leonard expire in December 2015.

Current board members bowing out in December are Kathy Adams, now vice president, Mark Rose and Brian Ward.